Consultant urges downtown revitalization south of tracks

Reporter-News photo by Thomas Metthe
Fal Falcioni says he has plans for turning the old Burlington Northern building, built in 1929, into a restaraunt. The building is located in the proposed South Downtown Abilene District.
photo taken 6/23/09

Consultant HyettPalma released a report Monday outlining economic and other benefits of revitalizing South Downtown Abilene.

It subcontracted the work from Dallas-based Halff Associates, as part of a $100,000 contract to study reviving parts of downtown in need of revitalization.

"As you know, the study is not yet completed," said Jon James, the city of Abilene's director of Planning and Development Services. "There is still much more to come."

The $100,000 was allocated out of the funds remaining in the Downtown Tax Increment Financing District just prior to the expiration of the district, James said.

Consultant HyettPalma released a report Monday outlining economic and other benefits of revitalizing South Downtown Abilene.

It subcontracted the work from Dallas-based Halff Associates, as part of a $100,000 contract to study reviving parts of downtown in need of revitalization.

"As you know, the study is not yet completed," said Jon James, the city of Abilene's director of Planning and Development Services. "There is still much more to come."

The $100,000 was allocated out of the funds remaining in the Downtown Tax Increment Financing District just prior to the expiration of the district, James said.

Fal Falcioni agrees with a renewed push to revive downtown Abilene south of the railroad tracks.

He just believes it should have been done years ago.

"This is where the city and philanthropic folks should have placed the funding in the first place when trying to develop the true downtown section of Abilene," said Falcioni, after taking inventory Tuesday of an area being considered for revitalization south of South 1st Street.

On Monday, city consultants released a report calling for an overhaul of parts of south downtown and proposed helping fund the improvements with a special tax financing district.

In addition to an area south of the railroad tracks, the proposed project also runs to North 6th Street between Walnut Street and Treadaway Boulevard.

Falcioni commended city officials, the philanthropic community and others for finding ways to fund and develop the downtown area north of the railroad tracks, including projects such as The Grace Museum, Frontier Texas! and the T&P Railroad Depot.

But, he said, the area from Butternut Street to Treadaway Boulevard and the railroad tracks to South 7th Street has "by far the greatest potential for development because of many open spaces that will attract tourism, businesses and office space."

"I'd really like to see the southside really grow ... for future generations," Falcioni said, adding he's not just saying that because he owns the old Burlington Northern building on South 2nd and Locust and wants to turn it into a restaurant.

Mayor Norm Archibald said Abilene leaders have worked "for years on the northside — and we're pleased with what we have."

Now, Archibald said, the South Downtown Abilene project "allows us to put together a game plan on how we could develop it."

Archibald said the report by consultant HyettPalma gives Abilene "a great opportunity to plan for this area instead of trying to do it a little bit here and a little bit there."

As envisioned, the revitalized area would contain a "diversity of housing types and prices, open spaces and parks, indoor and outdoor arts and entertainment, retail shops, restaurants, office space, government offices, a downtown hotel near the Abilene Civic Center, and parking and other infrastructure needs."

"I think concentrating on a specific area is far more effective than trying to develop many undeveloped lots all over Abilene, as has been suggested in a recent letter to the editor," Spano said.

For the project to succeed, Spano said it will take the efforts "of those in the neighborhood, those that are interested in investing in the area, and most importantly the leadership of the city."

"That leadership can be in the form of incentives to investors and current residents, inkind contributions for infastructure, code enforcement, and the formation of a land bank," Spano said.

Councilman Stormy Higgins said HyettPalma has offered suggestions on what could work and now Halff Associates Inc., which subcontracted the first part of the study to HyettPalma, will be charged with coming up with more specifics.

For example, Higgins said, HyettPalma suggested eliminating "most of the one-way streets," a potentially costly move that Halff Associates must help determine if it is doable.

Another suggestion is that Taylor County — because it has numerous buildings, including the County Courthouse — should develop a "master plan" for growth.

"They expect county government to grow," Higgins said.

Nanci Liles, executive director of the Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau, said her organization favors the movement.

"When I see the downtown development results of Dallas, San Antonio, Fort Worth, Austin and many other cities, it is a significant tourism draw," Liles said. "Twenty-five years ago, I could only envision what Abilene's current downtown would be ‘someday.' The next steps are just as important as the first step."

According to Liles, it appears to be the right move to revive a Tax Increment Financing District, which proved to be "very successful" in helping raise funds to aid downtown development north of the railroad tracks. Under a TIF district, any gains in property taxes on buildings within the district goes to fund improvement projects within the district.

Mike Young, an Abilene attorney who served as president of the TIF board for many years, said he understands the merit of restarting the TIF to help with downtown development.

While the original TIF district was about 100 blocks square and included the area downtown south of the railroad tracks, Young said the oil bust came in the 1980s and "the southside really never got attention" after that.